Ten years ago, the first edition of Beyond Borders was published — the brainchild of Virginia Lofft, then publisher of the four meetings magazines for which this supplement is produced. Virginia, in her long career in meetings, has earned the accolade “industry pioneer.” Starting out 30 years ago as an editor and moving on to become a publisher and vice president, she “discovered” the international market for meetings and incentives and spent much of her career building on its possibilities. Beyond Borders is a tribute to that vision.

Virginia retired in 2001, but this magazine hasn't stopped growing. Paula Hill, associate publisher/international, has taken Beyond Borders to a new level of sales success. Editorially, Beyond Borders won the top honor last year in the American Society of Business Press Editors' competition: The magazine was voted the best editorial supplement among the country's business publications with circulations less than 80,000. By tenaciously adhering to its niched focus — delivering nuts-and-bolts information for U.S. planners taking events abroad — the magazine has weathered the ups and downs of the marketplace while earning a growing fan club of readers.

Which brings us to the present. In a world of war, SARS, economic downturn, and international travel bans, the concept behind Beyond Borders may seem like an artifact from an age of innocence that ended on September 11, 2001.

Despite the current environment of fear, the need to connect internationally will never go away. First, globalization is an economic reality, one that can't help but foster international exchange. More fundamentally, history is an ongoing story of people moving beyond borders. Can any one seriously doubt that the future will bring more cause than ever for global connection?

So, reader, know that as a planner of international events, you are facilitating, in a small but significant way, a better world. Let Beyond Borders help you.

P.S. Join us in Chicago in September for the Beyond Borders Conference. (See details on page 7.) This is another great opportunity to explore the world of international meetings. Don't miss it!